Beatitudes Prayer Labyrinth
Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Welcome to the Sharon Center United Methodist Church Beatitude Prayer Labyrinth! The Bible encourages us to ‘Pray without ceasing’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and the labyrinth pathway is a good tool for helping us to pray. We might call praying while walking on the prayer labyrinth ‘prayer in motion’.
How do I use the prayer labyrinth?
The labyrinth path is not a maze. It is a path that leads to the center with no dead ends and no way to get lost or off-track. The labyrinth is simply a winding pathway that leads to a central point. We have put a bench there for rest and meditation before you make your way out by the same path you followed to get in. After you rest at the center and pray, simply turn and walk back the same way you came in. The labyrinth path begins and ends at the same opening. Take your time. Enjoy the path.
Am I supposed to do something?
As a tool for prayer and medication, there are no set rules. Some people like to begin their walk with simply focusing on breathing in and out and enjoying God’s gift of creation in the sky, the trees, the wind, the birds, and the space around them.
Other people like to say the Lords prayer as a guide to their time of conversation with God. Others like to lift the concerns of friends and loved ones for the Lord’s care.
Scriptural Phrases to Use While Praying the Labyrinth
Sometimes it is helpful to use a scriptural phrase to focus prayer on the labyrinth. Pick one or more of the verses listed below and let it orient your prayer as you move (All are taken from the NIV).
- “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5b
- “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.” Psalm 61:1
- “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.” Psalm 86: 7
- “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Psalm 100:2
- “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8
- “God is the strength of my heart.” Psalm 73:26b
- “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” Psalm 37:3
- “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29
- “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b
- “You have been with me from the beginning.’’ John 15:27b
- “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9b
- “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
- “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9
People in the middle ages used labyrinths traced on the floors of cathedrals as mini pilgrimages: since the average person couldn’t afford a trip to the holy land, many practiced walking the labyrinth path as a devotional exercise.
Whether we actively pray, open our minds to passive meditation, or simply enjoy spending time in the presence of God, the labyrinth can help us give shape and discipline to our spiritual life. Thank you to Evan Lautenschleger for this wonderful sacred space.
Welcome!
